Here at MummyPages, we were extremely lucky to get the opportunity to chat to British Olympic Games marathon runner Paula Radcliffe. Pampers has teamed up with Paula to celebrate babies’ spirit of play through the Pampers Little Athlete campaign. Paula is competing in the Olympics this summer and is also a busy mum to 18 month old Raphael and five year old Isla. She kindly took time out of her hectic schedule to chat to us about her involvement in the Pampers Little Athlete Campaign and also how she manages to juggle her busy career with her number one priority of being a mum. She really is a genuinely lovely lady and obviously a very devoted mother. Paula is just like any other mum who has to balance the demands of her career and the responsibilities of a young family, the only difference is she is the current women’s world record holder in the marathon and this year she is hoping to win her first Olympic medal!
We asked Paula how difficult it was to begin training after the birth of her son. She admitted that while it was a slower process returning to fitness the second time around she was still really lucky to be able to keep running throughout both pregnancies which really helped. Paula advises that after the birth of your child it’s vital to: “let your body recover from the labour and to take time to just bond with your baby.” She gives these tips to mummies who are eager to get back in shape after giving birth:“Allow your body to recover, rest when your baby is napping and also enjoy it, the precious moments you get to bond with your baby are moments you will never get back. Make sure that you are eating well, especially if you are breastfeeding. It’s vital that you are getting enough nutrients. Listen to your doctor’s guidelines about exercise especially depending on the type of birth you’ve had. Start with gentle exercise; water based exercise or even walking are both great.”
Paula really understands the challenges of trying to balance the pressures of a career with being a mum but credits her wonderful support network, including her husband, child care providers and extended family with helping her to cope. Paula admits that the hardest thing about trying to juggle her demanding career with being a mum has been the minute her children were born, they became her priority, they came first and even though most of her time is devoted to her children and running is what she does for herself it can still be hard. “My me time is my running time, still sometimes you worry, especially when you’re away.” Paula knows that like her, a lot of mums struggle to manage careers and family and urges other mums to lean on their support systems to make it a little bit easier. “Don’t be afraid to lean on other people and try not to be super-woman all the time!” We think this is pretty good advice for all mums to follow!
Her daughter Isla is old enough now to realise that running is her mum’s job and even loves to join in now that she's older: “When Isla sees me going running-she waves ‘bye mummy’ and she’s always there cheering me on. She wants to join in a little bit now as well. Though, it took her awhile to figure out that running isn’t something every mother does.” All mums’ know that the minute you become a mother, everything changes, your priorities completely change and Paula even credits motherhood with helping make her a better competitor as it gives you a huge amount of perspective on life and even gives you a competitive edge stating simply “When you’re happier you race better.” Paula says being a mum makes competing easier because whether she wins or loses a race, she knows she can still go home and enjoy just being with her children, playing games.
For Paula, one of the best things about being a mum is seeing the world through her children’s eyes. “I think seeing the world as they see it; they see things in a more genuine, pure and simple way.”Paula’s husband and coach, Gary Lough is instrumental in providing her with support and says they really share the work load together. “That’s one of the great things, when I’m out running or training, my husband is with the kids, they really benefit from that closeness and that time together. You wouldn’t get that with a nine to five job, they get as much time with him as possible.”
The Pampers Little Athlete campaign has been created with the help of baby development expert, Dr Maggie Redshaw. The campaign provides tips and advice for parents on how to encourage their baby's play through a series of really sweet online videos featuring Paula and her 18 month old son, Raphael. “It’s a great campaign; my kids have been in Pampers since they were born. I really do use them and really do believe in them, they’re a great product. A baby can take as many steps as a marathon runner takes in a race within 24 hours and when you have a toddler you can really believe that! It’s great to know that you can rely on Pampers as well during the night-when your child can be in them for up to twelve hours, knowing that they will wake up happy with a full but dry nappy in the morning is so important.”
Paula is also a firm believer of the importance of “infusing children to sports from an early age. Sports and play are so important for their performance in school. It makes them more self confident and more self aware. Active play helps with learning and it’s a great foundation in life.” Raphael has been helping Paula promote Pampers Active Fit and we wanted to know is he just as active as his mum: “He is...he’s crazy. He’s napping now but if he isn’t napping he’s either trying to use anything he can get his hands on as a slide or he’s attempting to climb on just about everything. Since he could walk, he’s been following Isla around, trying to get his hands on her scooters and tricycles.” We wouldn’t be surprised if Raphael follows in his mum’s footsteps one day! Paula had some advice to give other mums who might have budding young athletes at home: “Just support them, without pushing them, just be there. My mum and dad were always there for us, to drop us to different athletic clubs but they always let us set the limits, they never pushed us. Be there for the ups and downs and let them set the limits.”
After the Olympics, Paula wants to continue to compete for a while at least, but isn’t prepared to be away from her two children for long periods again. “I want to compete for another year or so, I haven’t really set a date but I think now with the children getting older, it’s getting harder to be away. This time around it was really hard to be away from them. I think I would like to begin winding down and maybe move on to a career that would allow me to spend more time with Isla and Raphael.” The idea that her two children will be at the finish line of the marathon; watching her competing in her last ever bid at Olympic glory does have a touch of fairy tale magic about it. So long as she can get that one last elusive ticket! “They will be there, it will mean so much. We’re short one ticket, so hopefully we’ll be able to get another one!” Paula Radcliffe really is the definition of a super-mum, always putting her kids first despite her astonishing career. She's just like so many mums we know!
To find out more about the Pampers Little Athlete campaign go to the Pampers UK & Ireland Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/PampersUKIre).
